Rumors that the upcoming horror game Abandoned is in fact related to Silent Hill and famed game developer Hideo Kojima have had a negative effect on the game, according to developer Blue Box Game Studios. The PS5-exclusive shooter is from an independent team, but fan theories have led countless gamers to believe the title is actually part of the Silent Hill series.
Abandoned was announced earlier this year and quickly drew comparisons to the Silent Hill games, particularly the playable demo "P.T", released for the now-canceled Silent Hills. Silent Hills was originally set to be helmed by Kojima, and many have yet to give up hope that the developer will one day turn his hand to a Silent Hill horror, despite what's rumored to have been a rocky split from the series' publisher, Konami. Blue Box has denied Abandoned's alleged Silent Hill connections multiple times, but rumors remain rife.
In an interview with Al Hub (via WCCFTech), Abandoned game designer Hasan Kahraman has stated that the fan theories have negatively impacted the game's development, describing the situation as "really crazy." He told the publication:
“You have no idea, it was really crazy and had a negative effect even on the development process with a lot of distractions, but I'm sure people will really like Abandoned, we believe in the game, and I still think people will like it.”
While Kahraman didn't go into detail on just how much the theories have tarnished the game's development, the launch of the Abandoned PS5 app was delayed earlier this summer. Despite the impact of the fan rumors, the game is still on track for a release sometime during Q4 2021.
Blue Box may have outright denied the claims that Abandoned is a Silent Hill project, but many have countered these statements with what they believe to be evidence to the contrary. It's been noted that a recent Al Hub podcast featuring the Abandoned developer was actually sponsored by Konami, which some believe suggests the publisher and the horror game are related. Meanwhile, various social media posts from Blue Box, including an image widely thought to be a reference to Konami's Metal Gear series, have also added fuel to the speculative fire.
Players won't have long until they can learn more about Abandoned for themselves, which should hopefully put the rumors to bed once and for all. The PS5 Abandoned trailers app is now live, and the developer is expected to release an introduction teaser for the game via the app on August 10. Silent Hill fans might be disappointed if Abandoned turns out to be unrelated to the horror franchise, but they shouldn't give up hope. Following a partnership with Konami, it's believed that Bloober Team is developing a new Silent Hill game, which could be revealed at any time.